To Elle and Pat

[Guest guest]

Elle: I was on the web site for Dr. Kuster and Ginger can send you the web site

address. This guy comes highly recommended and I followed Ginger's progress and

saw all her pictures. I opted to stay local - if you can call Bellevue, WA

local. With the transportation, hotel, etc. and the length of the stay I

decided to stay local. I had an extended abdominalplasty and an extended

brachioplasty and the total cost was $15,000. That included all follow up

appointments and the four times I went back for shots of steroids in my scars

which were starting to thicken. I am going back to him for a thigh lift when my

labs get up high enough - low ferratin. That will be another $6,000. I don't

care about my saggy butt. Also, the $15,000 included liposuction. He removed

11 pounds including the weight from my arms which was substantial. There are

several ways to pay for it; credit card, payments, cash, etc. They are not a

medicare provider as medicare stinks when it comes to paying for anything let

alone mastectomy reconstruction. My PS is Dr. Marosan at Bellevue

Plastic Surgeons. Address: 11820 Northrup Way, STE 190, Bellevue, WA 98005.

Phone: . Web site is:www.bellevueplasticsurgeons.com. E-mail is:

gmarosan@....

Pat: If you need both knees done I strongly urge you to do them both at the

same time. My reasoning? Well, initially it was because I thought it would be

hell and if I had to go through hell I was only going to do it once. Imagine my

surprise when I had no pain. Look at it this way - one anesthetic, one hospital

stay, one rehab, one set of medications, and you can't baby one leg. I

virtually woke up after surgery and for the first time in 12 years I was in ZERO

pain. Yes, and in caps, too! You will be in passive motion machines. Don't

let them scare you they are great and they give you the flexibility that you

need. They will come to your house and fit them to you and you will have a set

for at home. I think it was two hours three times per day. But, I got up

between treatments and walked the halls to the amazement of my doctors and the

nurses. I had surgery on Wednesday and got out of the hospital on Friday after

proving I could give myself a shower, and walk up and down stairs, and get in

and out of bed by myself. My insurance would have paid for 8 days of in house

rehab but I did not need it. But, there is a secret to this success. I went to

physical therapy and did exercises faithfully for one month before I had the

surgery. I then also went to PT for several weeks after surgery. I did take

pain pills before each session just in case. Consequently, my entire life has

changed. I can run, walk, dance, golf, chase Ron around the house, cross my

legs, get down on the floor and bounce back up and never think about my knees.

They have never hurt. I had more pain when I got a paper cut on my finger. My

surgeon said it was a " gift from God. " He is right!

Feel free to ask any questions. Oh, yeah, he did a minimally invasive incision

so my scars are only four or five inches long.

Hugs, Marla

WA State

tamarac42@...